


To Catch a Fallen Star

by junko



Series: the distance between us [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-03
Updated: 2012-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-30 12:55:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/331951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Follows Stray Dogs.  In this installment, it seems the captain may need a little assistance getting to bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Catch a Fallen Star

**Author's Note:**

> Setting: Pre-Soul Society arc, in the early days of Renji’s vice captaincy. 
> 
> Warnings: Bawdy/Strong Language (at the beginning,) but otherwise mild. And, no, I’m not leaving it here.

Renji Abarai was certain he hadn’t been dreaming when he saw the signature silk scarf of Byakuya Kuchiki disappear through the doorway. But, what would his captain be doing in the back storage room of the 11th division… unless –-

Unless, he’d come looking for him?

He pushed himself upright. Dislodging the passed out Yumichika Ayasegawa, who’d been drooling onto Renji’s belly.

As his head hit the floor, Yumichika cracked open an eye, “Oh?” he asked, straightening his shiny hair reflexively, “Is it time for round two already?”

Renji was searching the floor for a missing tabi, so he answered without thinking, “No. My captain was just here.”

Yumichika let out a decidedly girlish squeal. “Oooooh, Byakuya Kuchiki slumming? No way! How awesome is that? Run get him, Renji, and tell him I’m up for it. He can join us!”

“Join us?” came the grunt of a half-asleep Ikkaku Mandarame. “Exactly how is that supposed to work? It seems to me you’re completely filled with two.”

“Hardly!” Yumichika wiggled his fingers in the air. “I still have both hands.”

“Both? Ha! Are you boasting you can jack off two guys while going down and taking it from behind? This, I’d like to see!! Oi, Renji! You’re up for that, right?”

But Renji had already dressed and slipped out into the night. As he made his way into the streets of the Seireitei, he could hear the two them still arguing the limits of Yumichiki’s prowess.

 

#

 

Renji could hardly believe his eyes when he found his captain, however. Byakuya Kuchiki, twenty-eighth head of the noble Kuchiki clan, was puking into an alleyway.

Renji stood stock still for a moment, unable to wrap his mind around the image in front of him. In his stint with the 11th, he’d seen many men lose sake into the cobblestones, but never anyone like Byakuya. It seemed… unnatural on someone so stately. Thus, when it appeared the splatter might stain the pure whiteness of the captain’s haori, Renji didn’t hesitate. Without a thought, he jerked Byakuya out of the way with a sharp pull.

In an instant, Renji felt the bone-cracking pressure of the wall at his back. Byakuya’s hand was on his collarbone. Renji’s breath had been knocked out of him with the force of the blow he never even saw coming.

“You constantly forget your station, Renji Abarai.” The captain’s deep voice was unusually scratchy, but his slow, steady words reeked with distain. “Your hands are not dignified enough to touch me.”

Shame prickled deep in Renji’s gut. His lips curled into a snarl. He would have spat out a retort, but he detected a slight tremble of the muscles of Byakuya’s forearm. The spiritual pressure boring down on him seemed to wobble. Ai, even after losing half of it, the captain was still this drunk!? Renji’s scowl slowly transformed into a wry smile. He lifted his hand slowly, so as not to threaten, and gently wrapped his fingers around Byakuya’s wrist. “If you don’t let these undignified hands touch you, Taicho, someone _else_ is going to find you face down in the gutter. You and I both know that can’t happen.”

Though Byakuya’s eyes flashed, Renji was relieved that he allowed his hand to be removed. Renji took that as a sign that perhaps the captain wouldn’t kill him after all. At least, perhaps, not yet.  Now, how to get Byakuya back to his quarters? With a sigh of determination, Renji moved to get his arm under Byakuya’s shoulder to support his drunken captain, but he paused when he heard a warning grumble. He added a reassurance, “I know a short cut. No one will see us.”

Byakuya continued to frown.

"No one, Taicho.  I won't allow it."

Apparently, knowing his reputation was safe was enough for Byakuya to relax into Renji’s arms.

 

#

 

Renji knew better than to try to make conversation as they worked their way back to the barracks. It was slow going in the captain's state.  Luckily, the short cut had actually been designed for stealth rather than speed. It was impossible as the lieutenant of the sixth division with its standard of “noble reason” to be seen sneaking off to party with his former regiment. As many times as Renji had crawled back in the wee hours from this direction, he knew all the spots to avoid detection.

He would keep his promise to Byakuya. No one would catch sight of them like this, with the captain hanging, limply under Renji’s arm. This whole situation was so surreal anyway. No one would believe it. Half-certain he must be imagining it all, like some crazy dream, Renji found himself hyperaware of every physical sensation.

For instance, he had never been close enough to Byakuya before to notice the height difference between them. It surprised Renji to discover that Byakuya was actually much shorter than the strength of his reistsu made him look. So fragile, too, the captain seemed with his slender waist and long-bones. In Renji’s mind Byakuya towered over everything, but now he fit so snugly under his arm that Byakuya's head rested against Renji’s shoulder.

Oh, but the scent of him! So rich!  And, those luxurious sable locks so tantalizingly close to Renji’s nose. Not even the sour shadow of Byakuya’s earlier sickness could pall the exquisite smell of delicate rose blossoms that drifted up from him.

And his skin… Byakuya’s hand clasped at Renji’s collar, bunching the fabric there. He could feel the cool smoothness of Byakuya’s thumb pressed lightly against the hollow of his throat, just over where Renji's heartbeat ticked, ever faster.

Despite his earlier dalliances, Renji found himself beginning to stir. He grunted as he gripped the captain’s waist tighter. It was foolish to even entertain such feelings. Worse, they disgraced him with their crudeness. What had the captain said? He wasn’t worthy enough to even touch him. There was too much distance between them.

 

#

 

Once inside the captain’s chambers, Renji discovered another problem.

Did he just pour his captain into his bed fully-clothed in his shihakushô, like he would one of his former comrades? There had already been enough awkward clattering of body parts when they stopped to remove their shoes at the door. Getting Byakuya out of his clothes would be… torturous.

And what the hell did the captain wear to bed anyway?

Thus, he’d been standing there holding his captain upright by his shoulders, frowning, completely stymied at what to do, for several long minutes. He was so lost in thought that he never noticed Byakuya reaching for him until the captain had captured a long, red strand of his hair.

“This is a new look.”

Renji’s eyes widened in surprise. The captain’s voice had never sounded so gentle before. “Oh, uh. Yeah…” Yumichika had sliced his hair band, claiming his hair looked better down. “I… er, lost the thing I use to tie it back.”

He let go of Renji’s hair slowly, almost regretfully. “You’ve lost many things tonight.”

That was certainly enigmatic. “Oh?”

“I came to return your headband. You’d left it in my office.”

“Oh!” The memories of that moment returned to Renji in a hot flush. He hoped fervently that the captain was too drunk to remember the stolen kiss. Renji looked away, trying to concentrate on something, anything else.

“Renji?”

“Hm?”

“Why have we been standing here?”

“Because…” he let out a long, frustrated sigh. “I have no idea how to get you into bed.”

A brief snort of laughter made Renji’s eyes widen.

Wait! What had he just said?? A blush colored his cheeks. His hands jumped from Byakuya’s shoulders as if they’d suddenly turned red hot.

Byakuya lowered his eyes, a small smile tugging up the usual grim line of his lips. “I doubt it’s as difficult as you imagine. I believe I am still quite capable of undressing myself.”


End file.
